Destiny's Embrace
by PKAquaFlame
Summary: What if Kairi landed somewhere else when Radiant Garden became Hollow Bastion? How will that affect the storyline?
1. A Magic Spell: Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own.

This was a random thought that popped into my head, and I wanted to write it out. I don't know where this will lead. :/

Enjoy!

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><p>Kairi blinked up at the blue-haired lady that had just rescued her. She had strange clothing and an even stranger weapon (that gave Kairi a strange sense of calmness and warmth when she touched it), but that didn't matter. She was strong, and she was kind. Kairi wanted to be like her when she grew up.<p>

"Here!" she exclaimed, handing the lady the flowers that were in her hand. "I picked some flowers. They're for you! Thank you for saving me!"

The warrior accepted the flowers, smiling. "They're lovely!" she exclaimed. "You're so sweet."

"My name's Kairi! It's nice to meet you!" Kairi grinned, holding out her hand. The blue-haired warrior looked at it in confusion before shaking the younger one's hand.

"Nice to meet you too," she said. "I'm Aqua. Kairi, may I ask you something about...?"

"Kairi!"

Kairi, recognizing her grandmother's voice, saw the elderly lady waiting for her a few feet away.

"Hi, Grandma!" she exclaimed.

"Kairi, could you wait a minute?" Aqua asked. When Kairi turned back to face the kneeling warrior, she smiled questioningly. Aqua put two fingers on the pendant hanging around Kairi's neck and muttered a few strange words. Then the pendant started to glow softly.

Kairi looked up at Aqua confusedly. The blue-haired lady smiled.

"I just cast a magic spell on you, Kairi," she said gently. "One day when you're in trouble, your light will lead the way. Wherever it may lead you, you will find your strength. It's a thank you for the flowers."

Kairi smiled gratefully. "Thank you!" she said, running back towards her grandmother. "Bye!"

Aqua waved back as she heard Kairi's grandmother tell the story of light and darkness. She knew that story by heart: Master Eraqus always told her that story when she was still a bookish child with a love for all things magical.

Speaking of Masters and apprentices...

When Kairi touched the handle for her Keyblade, Aqua could feel it being passed down to her. That's part of the reason why she cast that spell on her. She knew that something bad was going to happen, and for one with such light to wield a Keyblade...

"Kairi," Aqua said, looking at the flowers she had given. "Something tells me I didn't meet you by accident."

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><p>I wrote part of this while I was sleepy. So I'll probably edit this. :

Please review!


	2. Kairi's Awakening

Disclaimer: I don't own.

Annnnd I was thinking about doing a different take on this story. Instead of long chapters I'll make several 'drabbles' (of different lengths - some might be so long they might as well be called oneshots) in each chapter. So...yeah! :D

Enjoy!

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><p><strong>I: Welcome to Traverse Town<strong>

When Kairi woke up, she was aware that her head hurt. A lot.

She blinked to see a green ceiling and a shadow staring down at her. She instantly yelped: those things were here again!

"Hey, calm down!" a voice exclaimed when she started panicking. "It's okay, we ain't gonna hurt ya!"

"Cid, I think I should handle this," another (calmer) voice said. Soon Kairi felt something brushing through her hair. Something soft and soothing. As slender arms wrapped around her, Kairi instantly calmed down.

"Are you feeling better?" the calming voice (obviously a girl) asked. When Kairi nodded, she asked, "Where am I?"

"This place is called Traverse Town," an older boy with brown hair replied. "Cid helped us get on the ship when the Heartless attacked our world."

"Ship?" Kairi repeated. "Heartless?"

"The Gummi Ship!" the black-haired girl exclaimed, huffing. "Don't you remember?"

Kairi thought hard. All she could remember were those shadowy things...and then...

And then...

"You _do_ remember what happened, don't you?" the gruff man asked, realization seeming to creep into his voice.

"Other than those shadowy things..." Kairi started. The older man groaned.

"Shit," he grumbled. "She musta bumped her head when I did that barrel roll..."

The girl gave Kairi a look of sympathy, saying, "I think she's the youngest one, too."

Kairi looked up at the girl, who had brown hair and green eyes. "Um...What are your names?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" the brunette exclaimed. "My name's Aeris. These are Cid, Leon and Yuffie."

"Hey, you remember your name?" Yuffie asked, swarming the redhaired girl. Kairi tilted her head to the side, closing her eyes.

"Kairi. My name's Kairi."

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><p><strong>II: Growing Up<strong>

Growing up in Traverse Town was not easy.

First - and most obvious - there was the Heartless. A deadly nuisance, really. When Leon became of age, Cid had taken it upon himself to form a group that worked together to eliminate any Heartless that came into the town. Of course Leon was a part of it. Aerith and Yuffie joined as well, when they were old enough. Not to say that Kairi was ever alone: Merlin - who had taken it upon himself to educate the poor child - was always there, giving her hints and tips about how to use something called magic. And she also had the other good-hearted townsfolk to talk to.

Secondly, there was no sun. At first this distressed Kairi, who practically thrived in the sunlight of her home world (what was it called again?). Instead of the sun, the moon hung high in the sky as the stars seemed to twinkle eternally. She eventually got used to the lack of sunlight, but she missed it all the same.

Third, there was a dark air of depression around the town. It seemed to hang around its inhabitants like a cloud. Kairi had asked Aerith about it once, and she replied, "Kairi, all of those people lost their home world. Unless we can find a solution, that loss will stay with them."

This saddened a seven-year old Kairi. People shouldn't be sad, they should be happy! The worst part was that she would try to talk to them all the time - to cheer them up - but Leon had warned her time and time again that there are some people who are potentially dangerous, and that she shouldn't interact with them.

That never stopped her from wanting to help them. So a year after that revelation, Kairi decided that she wanted to join the Defense Committee when she got old enough.

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><p><strong>III: Choosing a Weapon<strong>

When Kairi turned twelve, Yuffie took her to the weapon shop for the first time.

Kairi was ecstatic at this. She was getting a little tired of always being the one to run away whenever the Heartless attacked, of always having to have a chaperone whenever she wanted to go into the Second or Third District. Granted, she'd have a chaperone until she got the hand of whatever it was that she picked, but still!

The shopkeeper smiled upon seeing the two enter the shop.

"Ah, Yuffie!" he greeted. "Good morning! Can I help you with something?"

"Helpin' Kai over there pick out a weapon!" Yuffie responded.

"Splendid! I always knew that Kairi would join!"

As Yuffie and the shopkeeper (who we shall call Tim) chatted about the Committee and whatnot, Kairi looked around the shop, feeling a mix of intimidation and wonder form in her gut. Her gaze rested on the large swords that hung on the walls, much like the one Leon had with him.

_The best defense is a good offense, _Leon had told her. From what she had seen from the sudden Heartless attacks, she saw that to be somewhat true. Still, she didn't like the big swords that they always had on display. She might consider something nimbler, like the knives that were stacked in that corner...but she decided that they could be a fallback if she didn't find anything she really liked.

Then her eyes rested on the shields hanging on the other side of the room. Shields? Kairi didn't know what to make of that. How could shields be considered a weapon?

Bows and arrows, guns, throwing stars, clubs, rods, staves...

Meanwhile, Yuffie grinned upon seeing the weapon that Tim had showed her. "This is perfect!" she exclaimed. "Kai'll like this one for sure! Hey, Kai!"

Kairi's attention snapped towards Yuffie from the diamond-encrusted gauntlets hanging on a hook. Yuffie proudly showed off the weapon Tim had picked out, causing Kairi to gape.

It was a slender sword. Actually, it looked more like a stick than a sword. There was a complicated-looking hilt that was colored a dark blue, and the blade was a silvery blue. When Yuffie handed it to her, Kairi expected it to feel heavy, but it was as light as a feather.

"Okay, then!" Tim said cheerfully. "It looks like Kairi likes that one! I mean, you do like it, right?"

Kairi nodded, entranced. Why hadn't she thought of that before? She had read all about Red and Blue Mages in Merlin's books...this weapon was perfect!

Later, when Yuffie had paid for the rapier, she and Kairi walked out. As Yuffie gabbed about how much training there would be before she could actually fight with it, Kairi just gazed up at the sky, smiling contentedly.

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><p><strong>IV: The First Battle<strong>

Nothing could have prepared her for this.

The pain from the scratch that Heartless gave her on her arm seemed to burn her arm straight through. As Aerith healed her wound, Kairi observed the carnage.

Leon using Fira on the Soldier Heartless, Yuffie throwing knives at Shadows, and Cid spearing through five Soldiers...

As she thanked Aerith and charged towards a Soldier looking to hurt Cid, Kairi swore she would be strong enough to protect herself and the people she loved.

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><p><strong>V: Dive Into the Heart<strong>

The night before she turned fourteen, Kairi had the weirdest dream. She was floating in this dark abyss, and then she was on this stain-class column of some kind. The picture was blue, depicting a lovely woman in a light blue gown.

_So much to do, so little time..._

Kairi looked around frantically as the voice echoed through the area.

"Who's there?" she called. "Cid? Yuffie? Leon?"

_Take your time, don't be afraid. The door is still shut. _

Kairi couldn't place her finger on it, but that voice seemed a little familiar. It was almost soothing.

_Now...you have a great power sleeping within you, Princess._

"Princess?" Kairi repeated. Almost instantly, three gray pedestals rose from the ground. There was a weapon on each pedestal: a white and yellow sword, a blue and green staff, and a red and black shield.

_If you give this power form, it will give you strength. Choose wisely._

Kairi looked at the weapons. She walked towards each of them, considering which one she would use if given a choice. Eventually she wrapped her fingers around the staff, admiring the blue crystal at the end.

_The power of the Mystic...inner strength...a staff of wonder and ruin. Is this the power you seek?_

Kairi looked around, looking for the source of the voice. Then her gaze wandered back to the staff. When she nodded, the staff disappeared in a brilliant flash of light.

_Your path is set. Now, which will you give up in exchange? _

Kairi blinked, looking at the two remaining weapons. She took each one into consideration.

There was the sword. It seemed to exude strength and loyalty the more she stared at it.

She then averted her gaze towards the shield. Kindness and simplicity seemed to pour from the weapon.

Kairi walked towards the sword and examined it more closely. The hilt had an emblem that looked like a mouse's head. Come to think of it, the staff's crystal had that emblem too...

_The power of the Guardian...kindness to aid friends...a shield to protect all. You give up this power?_

Kairi put the shield back onto its pedestal. She didn't want to potentially give up kindness...and she couldn't protect her friends without kindness, right? She went up to the sword and wrapped her fingers around the hilt.

_The power of the Warrior...invincible courage...a sword of terrible destruction. You give up this power?  
><em>

Kairi instantly nodded (as admirable as she found courage to be, terrible destruction wasn't her thing), and the sword melted away.

_You've chosen the power of the Mystic, and given up the power of the Warrior. Is this the form you choose?_

Kairi smiled, nodding. Those choices just seemed right.

"Yes," she said, and the pedestals sank into the floor, which then started to shatter! As Kairi screamed, hurtling through the darkness, she heard the voice echo:

**_There will be times when you need to be brave._**

**_Broaden your horizons and keep to the path you've chosen._**

**_Now is no time for backing out. _**

**_Your journey starts in midday._**

**_And don't forget...you are the one who will help open the door. _**

About a week after the dream, a strange key-like weapon replaced the rapier in Kairi's hand. Nobody in the Defense Committee knew what to make of it. Kairi was the most surprised at this appearance. For some reason the silvery-blue blade looked a bit familiar...

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><p>Just something I'd like to point out: the way I see it, Sora, Riku and Kairi are a lot like Ven, Terra and Aqua (respectively). So if Kairi turned out to be a Keyblader from the beginning, I think her fighting style would be a lot like Aqua's: ass-kicking magical grace. Ehh. :

...I might edit a bit of this in later times...

Please review!


	3. Sora, Donald and Goofy

Disclaimer: I don't own.

...Two people have favorited this story, one person reviewed, and there are over 200 hits for the two chapters...so I'm assuming people like this...?

Enjoy!

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><p><strong>VI: Sora<strong>

Kairi blinked as she absorbed the situation she was currently in.

First she discovered a yellow dog sniffing through the First District...and then she followed the dog to discover a boy with the spikiest brown hair she had ever seen and what looked like a red jumpsuit.

And he was unconscious.

The dog licked the boy's cheek, causing him to stir. He glanced at Kairi and the dog drowsily, murmering, "What a dream..."

And with that, he fell back into sleep. The dog tackled the boy, causing him to wake up.

"This isn't a dream!" he yelped, getting up. He got up, looking around groggily when he noticed Kairi.

"Uh...hi? Do you know where we are?" he asked, getting up. Kairi hesitated at this. It was strange, but she felt a sort of connection to the boy. She couldn't put her finger on why, though...

"You're in Traverse Town," Kairi replied, sitting on a nearby box. "What do you remember before waking up here?"

The boy seemed deep in thought about this.

"I remember being in my room...and then that storm hit," he mused. He jolted, as if realizing something. "Hey, have you seen a guy with silver hair?"

Kairi's eyebrows quirked. "Uh, I can't say I have..."

The boy sighed. "Then he's not here," he said glumly.

Kairi felt a pang of sympathy for the boy: obviously he had lost his world...but at the same time, she was envious. He remembered where he came from. She had no clue where she was from, other than the pendant hanging around her neck.

She smiled despite this. "Don't say that," she said gently. "Traverse Town's pretty big. It is a refuge world, after all. Maybe he landed in another part of town. You want to look?"

The boy instantly brightened. "Sure! This is my first time in another world, anyway! It'll be an adventure!"

Kairi wanted to laugh at the boy's change in attitude.

"So...what's your name? My name's Kairi," she said, holding out her hand. The boy blinked before grinning.

"Glad to meetcha! I'm Sora."

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><p><strong>VII: Explanations<strong>

"Heartless?" Sora asked. Yuffie nodded.

"The ones that attacked you, remember?" she asked. Leon crossed his arms. "Those without hearts."

"See, it's the darkness in people's hearts is what attracts them," Kairi continued. "And there's darkness within every heart."

Leon glared at Kairi momentarily at the minor interruption, but continued, "The Keyblade's the one thing they fear. But still...I can't believe you and Kairi can use the Keyblade."

Sora glanced at Kairi suprisedly. Kairi nodded, summoning Rainfell.

"I guess beggars can't be choosers," Leon continued. "Kairi. You and Sora should stick together. The Heartless go after the ones wielding the Keyblade. If you stay together, you can help each other."

Kairi and Sora nodded enthusiastically. Kairi knew that whenever Leon gave an order, you had no choice. But she shared the faintly excited feeling she felt: she had finally made a friend her age!

Then the Soldier Heartless appeared in the room.

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><p><strong>VIII: Donald and Goofy<strong>

A minute after Kairi and Sora ran into the Third District, they heard an explosion above them. They looked up to see a duck and a dog falling towards them, screaming hysterically. Kairi got out of the way in time, but Sora wasn't so lucky.

Kairi had to admit, the sight of the three of them dog-piled together was rather hilarious. When the two anthropomorphic animals snapped out of their daze, they noticed the weapons in the children's hands.

"The keys!" they shouted in unison, grinning.

Before Kairi and Sora could ask, the ground started to rumble as pillars shot up from the ground, trapping the four. Soldier Heartless appeared and made their way towards them. The newcomers got off of Sora and brandished their respective weapons (a magic staff for the duck, a shield for the dog.).

"You were looking for us?" Kairi asked the two newcomers while swatting a Soldier Heartless away.

"Yeah!" the dog nodded, throwing his shield (like a frisbee) at another one. "King Mickey told us to look for two kids with keys!"

"Guys, a little help here?" Sora asked, cornered by two Soldiers.

"Yeah, we can talk later!" The duck snapped, using a Thunder spell to eliminate the ones cornering Sora.

Kairi shrugged, swatting the Heartless away.

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><p><strong>IX: Happy Faces<strong>

"I wonder if I'll ever find Riku," Sora said, glumly looking at the floor. Kairi glanced at Sora sadly.

"Of course you will!" the duck said cheerfully. Sora looked up, hope sparkling in his eyes.

Kairi raised an eyebrow. There were many, many worlds that Riku could have landed in. Obviously he knew this, so...

"You should go with them," Leon said, snapping Kairi out of her thoughts. "Especially if you want to find your friend, Sora."

"Okay, I guess," Sora said, shrugging.

"But no frowning!" the duck said in sing-song. "No sad faces...okay?"

"Yeah," the dog laughed. "Ya gotta look funny, like us!"

The duck pushed his friend aside a bit, muttering, "Speak for yourself." Then he continued, "Our Gummi ship runs on happy faces!"

"Happy, huh...?" Sora said. A split second later, he pulled this strange grin. Cross-eyed, teeth bared...it was so obviously fake that it was hilarious.

First it was Kairi and the two newcomers. Then Sora started falling into hysterics, along with Leon, Yuffie and Aerith. Their laughter was so loud it woke up some of the people who were brave enough to live there.

"Okay, why not?" Sora said, grinning. "I'll go with you! It'll be fun, right Kairi?"

Kairi nodded.

The duck smiled, putting his hand (wing?) out. "Donald Duck!"

Each of the four travelers put their hands in the pile as they introduced themselves.

"The name's Goofy!"

"My name's Kairi."

"I'm Sora."

"All for one, and one for all!" Goofy exclaimed when Sora put his hand on top of the hand pile. Kairi started to smile at this: she would finally get out of this dreary town, which she loved, but still...

Why couldn't she shake off the feeling that they were being watched?

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><p><strong>X: Villains of A Sort<strong>

"I can't believe it!" Hades grumbled as he and the other villains looked at the holographic image in front of them. "Those little tykes took down that Heartless!"

"That is the power of the Keyblade," Jafar said in response. "Their strength is not their own."

Ursula cackled, "Why don't we turn them into Heartless? Surely that would be simple."

"Aye! And their friends are the king's lackeys! Swoggle me eyes, they're all bilgerats by the look of them!" Captain Hook exclaimed, scrutinizing the image.

"Like you're one to talk," Oogie Boogie said, cackling. Hook glared at the sack of bugs, about ready to draw his sword when...

"ENOUGH!" a feminine voice bellowed. The other villains turned towards the source of the voice. Maleficent examined the image.

"For whatever reason, those two weild the Keyblade," she said. "Will they conquer the darkness, or be swallowed by it? Either way, they could be quite useful to our plan..."

Maleficent glanced at the image of the girl. The sorceress could sense something regarding the girl. She couldn't put her finger on it...

"...especially the girl."

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><p>Please review!<p> 


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